Heart-stopping drone footage released by the NYPD Thursday shows train surfers jumping for joy on top of trains — as Mayor Eric Adams insists sky cameras have saved the lives of 114 daredevils this year, despite six tragic deaths.
The previously unannounced aerial drone program has conducted about 900 flights since last year to locate and harass subway surfers, Adams said during a Queens news conference.
But as Adams appeared to downplay recent tragedies — including the deaths of two 13-year-olds riding the subway last week — as he touted the success of a drone program to end the scourge of subway surfing.
“We see lives lost, but very rarely do you get a medal for a life saved,” he said.
A terrifying video released by the NYPD shows reckless subway surfers walking cars, dangling from the back of trains and even jumping into the air as a speeding train passes by their feet.
The train surfers caught by drone cameras — and then kicked off the train by police — were on average 14 years old, Adams said.
Kaz Daughtry, the NYPD’s deputy commissioner of operations, said the 7 line is a particular favorite of subway surfers because of its “iconic” view of the Manhattan skyline.
He said police would arrest young subway surfers spotted by drones and show the footage to their parents in an effort to warn kids not to jump dangerously on trains.
“We saw them get down between the cars, and we’re going to get them down between the cars,” he said.
The program began as a pilot in November 2023, but changed to permanent in June, officials said.
“It’s an inexpensive way to deal with the cost of losing a loved one or a child,” Adams said.
Adams strongly preaches the use of drones for public safety use, although high-profile robots often fail to deliver, such as when the Times Square subway “snitchBOT” ended up gathering dust after launch.
But Hizzoner, during a news conference outside a Queens school, acknowledged that it will take more than drones to stop the dangerous subway surfing craze.
The mayor urged New Yorkers to call 911 if they see subway surfers — and repeated calls for social media companies to take down a viral video that inspired kids to board subway trains.
Six New York City youths have died subway surfing this year, surpassing the five fatalities since 2023, officials said.
The latest tragedy occurred on Sunday, when two girls got off the southbound 7 train at the 111th Street station in Queens.
Krystal Romero, 13, was pronounced dead at the scene, while her 14-year-old fellow daredevil remained in critical condition at Elmhurst Hospital. Sources said the surviving teenager had a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and was unable to breathe on his own.
A pair of heart-stopping videos that emerged after Romero’s death showed people, including at least five children, riding a subway car near the same station.
The tragedy follows another death last week, also involving a 13-year-old boy.
Brooklyn boy Adolfo Sorzano was killed during a stunt on a train to the Forest Avenue station in Queens.
The deaths came despite desperate efforts by New York City and MTA officials to warn youth about the dangers of subway surfing.
Many officials and grieving parents of subway surfing victims blame social media companies such as TikTok for allowing viral videos depicting stupid acts to go unchecked.
“Social media companies need to step up, take down this video and stop pushing the subway surfing challenge to kids,” said Norma Nazario, mother of 15-year-old Zackery Nazario, who died in a subway surfing crash last year.
